Mohammad Ismail Ghaznavi, the Taliban governor for Badakhshan Province, has called on the group’s armed opponents to cease fighting and, in his words, stop "disrupting the country's security." At the same time, he warned that the Taliban possesses the capability to counter armed opposition and will fight them if necessary.
Addressing the military factions opposed to the Taliban, Ghaznavi said, "What did you accomplish when NATO and the United States were supporting you?" He added that the group's opponents, in his words, "will take the dream of controlling the country to their graves."
The Taliban governor in Badakhshan urged opposition groups to refrain from creating insecurity, claiming that the people need development and that "security and justice" currently prevail in Afghanistan. He also stated that individuals facing issues can approach Taliban institutions, noting that the doors to the group's offices remain open to them.
Ghaznavi further expressed that Taliban leaders will make every effort to detach their opponents from "the embrace of foreigners" through dialogue and logic, as he put it.
These remarks come as clashes between the Taliban and forces of the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) persist in the Zibak District of Badakhshan Province. According to sources, these clashes began on Thursday in the Topkhana area, near the Pakistani border, and have continued as of the publication of this report.
On Saturday, July 25, the Afghanistan Freedom Front announced that its forces had shot down two Taliban military drones in Zibak District. The front also claimed that the Taliban has failed to advance toward its positions in recent days. The Taliban has not yet commented on these claims.
Meanwhile, published images obtained by Afghanistan International show Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Taliban's Army Chief of Staff, present alongside the group's forces on the front lines of Zibak District to command the operations. Reports also indicate that the Taliban has deployed additional troops to Badakhshan Province by air and land over past days.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
